Why 2013 could be his year to shine

Over the years, as an Arsenal fan, we have always had the expectancy of an exciting young youth product to burst onto the first team stage. Most recently we can point to the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshire and Kieran Gibbs, who have all made an impact on the first string side. We have had excitement built on other players of course such as Denilson and Fran Merida to name just a few, and others who have left to have good careers at lower end teams like Seb Larsson, Jerome Thomas and Steve Sidwell.

It won’t be a surprise to Gooners to see the lack of transfer activity as Le Boss has always looked at players coming through and not wanting to block their development and an opportunity to play. Arsene Wenger clearly has extremely high hopes for Serge Gnabry, who joined from Stuttgart, represented Germany at U17 level and has already made his first-team debut in the Premier League. But since then you get the feeling Wenger may have thought it was a little too early for him.

The name who I feel will make a breakthrough this season and could have a massive impact to the side is Thomas Esifeld.

Eisfeld is a central midfielder, very much in the Frank Lampard mould, who has great feet and passing ability, as well as a knack of arriving late in the box at the right moment.

He joined the club in January last year after seven years in the youth set-up at Borussia Dortmund and has become the star of the U19 side.

Eisfeld was outstanding in the two Next Gen games recently against Athletic Bilbao and was easily the best player on the pitch on both games, and people will point to his introduction at Reading in the Capital One Cup earlier in the season as a game changer.

Time will tell of course, but I think Gooners can be very excited about Eisfeld making a massive impression for the club this season.